Commentary by Rickford Burke, President of the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID)

GUYANA’S Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, a former President, has filed a no confidence motion against the new coalition government of Guyana, led by President David Granger. The Granger administration was elected in 2015 with a one seat majority in Parliament. The government has 33 seats, while Jagdeo’s opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has 32. Jagdeo’s motion is not based on any failures of the government. Rather, it seeks to exploit the current illness of President Granger who has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment in Cuba.

Prime Minister (PM) Moses Nagamootoo, the leader of government business in the National Assembly, is performing the duties of the presidency. Technically, the National Assembly is a component of Parliament. The Assembly becomes the constitutional Parliament whenever the President attends to deliver ceremonial addresses.

Jagdeo has adopted “Trumpism.” He believes that asininity, racism, lies and dishonesty will propel his party back into government. His gangster brinkmanship violates the nation’s sacrosanct period of super natural supplications on behalf of our President. Only a man of uncanny decadence would seek to exploit the illness of a Head of State to divide a nation for cheap political points. Worst, Jagdeo’s PPP members have, in a most vile manner, been disseminating death wishes against the President on social media. These actions are dishonourable and unpatriotic. Indeed, such inhumane treachery can only be hatched in the minds of evil men who think like beasts, who deserve to be rebuffed and isolated.

Jagdeo has been desperately attempting to dominate the political space created by the President’s temporary illness. In a media frenzy, he cockily claimed that whenever the Prime Minister is performing duties of President, he cannot vote in the Assembly. This fraudulent claim is to portray his motion as viable. Nothing in the law prevents the Prime Minister from fulfilling his constitutionally mandated parliamentary duties, and he will. Moreover, intelligence sources may have detected PPP elements allegedly discussing a reward for government MPs who vote with the opposition on the motion. Since bribery and public corruption is a known PPP contrivance, law enforcement scrutiny is apposite.

Guyanese know Jagdeo’s dishonourable hunger for power. He has been acting like a raging lunatic at the prospect of not having control of Guyana’s oil revenues. Although the constitution bars him from ever becoming president again, he filed a lawsuit to strike down presidential term limits in the constitution. After the Caribbean Court of Justice rejected his ill-conceived attack on the constitution, his party members attacked the court as a “black” institution.

But Guyanese know what PPP governance feels like. As president of Guyana from 1999 to 2011, Jagdeo’s cabinet was known internationally as a criminal cartel, and one of the most brutal, racist, corrupt governments and ruthless criminal enterprises in the world. Embezzlement, fraud, bribery, rampant thievery of government assets, money laundering, weapons and drug trafficking and murders embroiled his disastrous presidency. International government accountability watchdog “Transparency International” ranked Jagdeo’s government as one of the most corrupt in the world.

In 2009 Jagdeo’s government corruptly gave his personal friend over $167 million tax payer dollars to build a private hotel – Buddies, now Princes Hotel. Jagdeo’s government corruptly and unlawfully took US $41 million dollars to build the Marriott Hotel. Its parent company, Atlantic Hotel’s Inc., was mysteriously registered to his two friends, Michael Brassington and Marcia Nadir. Jagdeo’s government unlawfully seized $950 million from the nation’s workers Insurance Scheme (NIS) to build the Berbice River Bridge. Although the NIS monies mostly built the bridge, Jagdeo’s government give the majority of shares in the bridge company to a consortium owned by his best friend, Bobby Ramboop.

Jagdeo’s government also sold the multi-billion dollar Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation to Ramroop at a fraction of its value. Ramroop’s company was made the sole drug supplier for all government hospitals. Billions of dollars in contracts were then funneled to Ramroop’s company. Jagdeo also sold the government compound at Leonora Estate, West Demerara, at a fraction of its cost to his friend Ed Admad, who has since been convicted of fraud and jailed in the U.S. When Jagdeo’s party was voted out of office his Public Service Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford charged with allegedly embezzling over $680 million dollars. This case is currently subjudice.

It is therefore no wonder that the people have called on Jagdeo to explain how he was able to build a multi-billion, Hollywood-styled mansion in Guyana. Moreover, Jagdeo and several of his cabinet ministers allegedly fraudulently undervalued, then purchased prime, seaside government lands on which they constructed multi-million dollar homes. The Organized Crimes Unit of the Guyana Police Force arrested Jagdeo and some formers ministers in connection with ongoing this alleged fraud investigations.

As president, Jagdeo handed control of the country’s national security apparatus to Roger Khan, a murderous criminal and international drug lord. Jagdeo’s government gave Khan a license to import CIA-type spy equipment that tracks people’s physical location by their cell phone number, using triangulation technology. Khan was also head of the drug cartel and murder for hire gang called the Phantom death. His gang used his spy equipment to track and kill targets. Khan was eventually captured by Us FBI and DEA agents. He was subsequently convicted and jailed in the US.

Cellular telephone records and other intelligence helped an international investigation uncover that Khan’s Phantom death squad functioned under the direction of Jagdeo’s National Security Minister, Ronald Gajraj. The US government has documented that in the glaring eye of the PPP government, Roger Khan made Guyana into a transshipment center where drugs from Columbian and other parts of South American were shipped to the US, Europe and the Caribbean. With direct PPP government supervision, the Phantom death squad murdered over 400 young black men. A 2005 United Nations investigation led by international human rights attorney, Gay McDougall, confirmed the murders and PPP complicity.

Under international pressure was forced to remove Gajraj from office but later reappointed him. On April 12, 2005, the US State Department issued a statement condemning Gajaj’s reappointment. The statement added that “the United States is concerned about… his involvement with individuals who allegedly carried out extra-judicial killings…. We believe significant questions remain unanswered regarding his involvement in serious criminal activities…” Fearing the US will indict Gajraj and expose the PPP cartel, Jagdeo made Gajraj Ambassador to India and granted him diplomatic immunity from prosecution.

This is the tip of the iceberg of PPP crime and corruption. After 23 years of murder, drug-running, racism, fraud, and outright thieving of billions of taxpayer dollars, the people of Guyana expressed no confidence in Jagdeo and the PPP, by voting to kick them out of office in 2015.

Guyana is now on the threshold of becoming one of the world’s largest oil producing nations. Jagdeo is bursting with a potential orgasm at the prospect of Guyana’s oil money. He and the PPP are the like ravenous cats who want to watch the milk. But Guyanese are aware that they are crooks disguised as watchmen anxious to raid the national treasury.

Under Guyana’s new coalition government, our nation is being transformed. There has been unprecedented economic and social development. The people can see national prosperity on the horizon. If there is any no confidence in the coalition government, it is its failure to prosecute and jail the PPP cartel for their murders, embezzlement, fraud, thieving, money laundering, gun smuggling and drug trafficking perpetrated against the nation. The time for accountability is now! Who is listening?

Jagdeo should have been in prison years ago, he should never be loose on the population again, that is what happens when you don’t jail corrupt former government ministers.. as soon as they are thrown out of office by the people..

“But Guyanese know what PPP governance feels like. As president of Guyana from 1999 to 2011, Jagdeo’s cabinet was known internationally as a criminal cartel, and one of the most brutal, racist, corrupt governments and ruthless criminal enterprises in the world. Embezzlement, fraud, bribery, rampant thievery of government assets, money laundering, weapons and drug trafficking and murders embroiled his disastrous presidency. International government accountability watchdog “Transparency International” ranked Jagdeo’s government as one of the most corrupt in the world.”

Why would Barbadians be interested in what is going on in Guyana when the focus ought to be on the other pressing issues the island is facing?

WARU

People choose to do evil because for every corresponding evil there is obviously a corresponding good … so therefore, it is not fair and well founded that you should attributed the actions our (colonial past) to what is taking placed in Guyana and elsewhere in Caribbean for that matter…

You are at bad place in you life, and I have been there before … because at one point in my life I could not help but to interpret everything in black and white… it is a ploy of the Devil because we aren’t wrestling against flesh and blood, but principalities and powers, as well as spiritual wickedness in high places.

So to overcome this psychosis … you have to judge each and every individual on his or her own merit, and stop using your broad bush to paint the entire white world as racist … because they are not all racist … there is good and bad in every human being … so when you arrive at this realization … you will be able to overcome your psychosis or preoccupation with race..

The issues here are hopefully…in the minority in the West Indies…meaning hopefully not all the governments are so infected…..Caribbean governments who not only ALLOW the practice of racism to flourish unabated in their SMALL ISLAND countries…never mind that Guyuana is bigger than UK…but also allow wholesale theft of the population’s assets and allow organized crime to continue unabated…as long as they are enriched by these practices…

correct me if I am wrong…but none of these PROBLEMS…which are destroying the very social fabric of the island’s so involved….will EVER be solved…unless ADDRESSED….every little lowlife government minister or lawyer believes he or she has some given right to continue these archaic destructive practices …IN THE CARIBBEAN..

For the slowest among us…why do these politicians lawyers, ministers, priests, business people…the general leaders in the society…BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE THIS LICENSE….to destroy small countries with the same centuries old tired criminal practices and decades old lack of change each and every election cycle….who do they believe in the international arena gives them such license….to continue the colonial practices..

imagine these are the same criminals who LOVE TO PREACH RIGHT FOM WRONG……

AND

incarcerate, torment people and legislate laws to hang or arrest people for doing the same damn things that they themselves are doing 50 fold….so, if it makes sense to the slow among us that these practices ae ok and some kinda leaning experience for each and every generation of black people subjected to these crimes…please explain the upside..

The problem I have with the East Indian indentured servants resident in Guyana and Trinidad is that they identify with India and Hinduism and they should go to hell back to India and stay there.These are backward thinkers despite living in the western world.They have learned the divide and rule bit very well

Would it not be more productive if commenters reputedly to be educated and intelligent deflate their silly egos and appreciate that to discuss matters with a tone that lends itself to constructive outcomes is preferable? The blogmaster these days does not have the time to take a switch to class idiots.

Gabiel…there is that…but you have to admit that black governments are culpable in the same practices, they condone and enable the same practices, the divide and conquer and rule practices, against their own people…that too must be addressed to understand WHY IT IS STILL HAPPENING…pre independence AND POST UN Human Rights Declaration …30 Articles of human rights laws of 1948….that has been existence since that time….

Indians cannot just go back to India, they visit, but the descendants of indentured servants are not considered real Indian or real Hindi in India…that is their conundrum.

These are things worth thinking and talking about, because they are the REALITY for Caribbean black people and do not look like they will be disappearing anytime soon, unless addressed….we can go around in circles for another 11 years on the blog, but if not looked at, these crimes BEING COMMITTED against the descendants of African slaves IN THE CARIBBEAN and Latinx America etc…will never end.

And I say it again – we were lulled to sleep by fairy tales and we are only now awakening. How long will it be before we stretch and get out of bed to start the DAILY battle for justice? It is a never ending fight. “Happily ever after” is like “pie in the sky when we die by and by.”

Humankind is a mess and so life is messy. We can work to clean up the mess or sit in it.

We have to be rewired. We were raised to think that humankind had evolved beyond certain vices. They have not. We placed our trust in our governments forgetting that they are made up of humans with vices. Once we understand that humans have failings and we understand that power corrupts we will know that the fight for justice will never end. We the people have been negligent in our duties and will see NO CHANGE until we engage.

Oh they get their Indian passports, it’s just culturally…the descendants of indentured Indians in Guyana and Trinidad are not considered real Indians by Indians in India..which is ironic seeing that those in India were the first to be enslaved and mistreated by colonial Britain..

The ignorance is they believing they are somehow different to each other, shades of Black islanders believing they are somehow different to each other.

What I find truly amazing was a black Trinidadian moving hell and high water to bring Air India to Trinidad and this was recently.The present PM of Trinidad was photographed wining on an Indian girl and it almost drove Sat Mahraj insane.That is the problem I have with those racist Indians like the said Sat and the said Bharrat,Anil and Moonilal.You won’t think all ‘o dem did cane cutter.

That is what needs to be highlighted, why Caribbean Indians also seem to believe they are somehow superior to the African descended population ..Jagdeo is a good example, if he did not carry that East Indian name, no one would know he is Indian, he looks like the typical Caribbean Black man of African descent, but he somehow tells himself and his ilk that he is not only superior to black people, but he has to practice racism against them, to continue feeling he is superior.

Mr Blogmaster, maybe so ..but that’s still a very low political move re “Trying to capitalize on the sickness of Granger is in poor taste but the cut and thrust of politics permits it?”

These things go around and come around so Jagdeo may yet get his comeuppance re this health issue..stangely tho as far as history goes it seems he has a thing for benefiting re presidential health problems!

And a lil tidbit for those who still follow US politics 😁… the midterm wave that was not a wave has issued some never seen before electoral numbers …

Specifically there was such a turn out that when the votes are finally all counted it is projected that total votes for Dems in congress will be very close to the 63 million votes cast for the President two years ago.

Wooooa….let’s understand the perspective: the non presidential election in 2010 when Obama was battered in that tidal wave of red saw total votes of about 45 million…he had won with about 69 million votes in ’08.

Bluntly said: lots, lots of people voted against this man…thus this President has done more than anyone else to elect Pelosi as speaker so it was very hilarious that he offered MORE republican house votes via tweet to get her over the top for that post ….didn’t he think he had already done too much🤣

Jagdeo is a hard nosed pol in the Trump mould and all of that ilk die and live by the blade of the political sword…

Jagdeo is so low minded and so crass that he knows President Granger was in Cuba for an operation arising out of a cancerous condition and he used the opportunity to bring a no confidence motion knowing that the one seat majority held by Granger’s coalition party might now play into the hands of the corrupt PPP cabal.Only a inhuman animal would stoop that low to regain power at any cost.For that the Mia Mottley administration should declare him person none grater in Barbados.

Wait GP..
You gone very quiet since Bushie provided that free lesson on the intricacies and complexities of water.
LOL
Now that you know that there is more to water than H2O …perhaps you may be open to some more learnings…

Are you not interested in exactly WHY BBE would have designed water in such a complex manner?
Bushie could find that out for you…. 🙂
…and anything else you need to know….

On topic (before the blog master kicks Bushie’s butt…)
Jagdeo will surely regain power in GT.
The man suits the profile of the ‘modern leader’ to the tee…

An ugly, dishonest, heartless bully – who lies with impunity and is obsessed with personal wealth.
People ALWAYS get exactly what they deserve. (One of the REAL REAL Laws that Jeff ignores…)
What the Hell else can selfish, greedy, spiteful people expect …except leaders like Trump, Jagdeo and others of their ilk?
…or in our case, idiots like Stinkliar – and now some of the BLP morons (who should keep off TV for their own good…)

There is ONLY ONE solution….ALWAYS has been…

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,….THEN….”

Peter started by exhorting the elders to tend the flock – not by lording it over them (IN ALL CAPS) but willingly, and by being an EXAMPLE yourself…. (remember the fruit thing…?)

He went on….
” gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time”
….So ease up on the bragging about how much you know ..and how you have been disrespected by Liz et al.
You are just another brass bowl who don’t know squat – not even about water…

Finally, he leaves them with….
“Salute one another with a kiss of love.”

Well the ‘kiss’ ain’t for stinking Bushie – not from you, (Peter had to be talking about Donna and Simple Simon there LOL)
A simple nod from you will be just fine thanks…

It should not be surprising that Bushie’s responses got you behaving like a likkle boy….
That ain’t squat… compared to the original bushman who, at age 12, went among the great scholars in the temple (who knew the scriptures and Greek, Hebrew etc) …and confounded them with REAL knowledge….
at AGE TWELVE yuh!!!
…and he only had a sword…

Bushie gotta whacker …. four stroke …with a souped-up carburettor …and this is BU – instead of a shiite temple….
So it looks like your ass is grass…
LOL
ha ha ha